With the further relaxation of entry measures, traveling to Japan this 2022 is now possible!

If you’re planning on visiting soon or just need some wanderlust inspiration, read along as Yael and Denise, 2 of our favorite travelers, share their best tips for traveling to Japan. 🌸🌊⛩️

Where should I go in Japan first?

Yael: For your first visit, I would suggest hitting the usual tourist spots. Definitely check out the temples, UNESCO sites, beautiful parks, etc. But if you do find yourself going back, take a longer trip and just immerse yourself and walk around the main areas- Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, etc. I love discovering hole-in-the-wall shops and restaurants.

I would also suggest getting a JR Pass to take day trips to nearby places. One of my favorite places is Enoshima, just off the Shōnan coast. You can also splurge a bit to ride the Shinkansen in order to go to Kyoto, Narra, or Osaka. Although, please do take a separate trip if able because those places are their own magic.

Denise: It was winter the last time I visited Japan and I experience my first snowfall. The best places to go to when it’s winter are:

• Sapporo for its Snow Festival

• Niseko for snowmobile and snowboarding

• Kyoto for the cultural experience

• Osaka or Tokyo for a glut of cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, parks, and tourist destinations

Interesting activities to do:

Denise: I am a beach bum but winter activities in Japan are so thrilling if you always love to try something new like me!

You can try snowboarding at Sapporo Teine Ski Resort or in Niseko. Snow Festival in Sapporo has light shows, a skating rink, an ice bar, illuminated ice sculptures, an interactive playground, and Hokkaido-specialty food markets. Mt. Moiwa also has the fortune bell and love padlocks.

Japan is dotted with beautiful parks where you can escape from the bustling areas of the city like Osaka Castle, Nara Park, Shinjuku Gyoen, Yoyogi Park, and Kinkakuji Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Sometimes, Tokyo also has light installations such as Mega Illumination and TeamLab Borderless at Odaiba. If you want to see the sunset over the city skyline, Tokyo Skytree is a great viewing deck.🗼

Where to eat?

Yael: Harajuku Gyoza Lou - they specialize in…gyoza lol but that’s all you need plus a pint of beer and the chicken soup

Coffee shops- there’s no shortage of great coffee shops in Tokyo

Butagumi- quality tonkatsu

Sushi sushi sushi everywhere!

Denise: Japan has two of my favorite things in life: really good coffee and the freshest sushi. I recommend Verve Coffee, Saturdays NYC, or Blue Bottle for some cuppa ☕. The best place to taste the city is by going to the markets: Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, Kuromon Ichiba (near Dotonbori) in Osaka, and Nijo Fish Market in Sapporo.🍣

Where to stay?

Yael: I like to stay in a cute Airbnb or a boutique hotel ❤️

Denise: We stayed at Airbnbs in Osaka and Kyoto. For Tokyo and Sapporo, we picked hotels that are nearby the subway. For Niseko, we stayed at First Cabin.

Keep exploring to read more of our Destination Guides here.😉✌🏽

Thumbnail source: Aaron Benjamin, Svetlana Gumerova, and Ajeng Larasati